


Like Safety And Home

by straightforwardly



Category: Cinderella Phenomenon (Visual Novel)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-19 14:55:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22712572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/straightforwardly/pseuds/straightforwardly
Summary: Pre-canon. The war ends, but the shadows it created linger.
Relationships: Delora/Parfait (Cinderella Phenomenon)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	Like Safety And Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mementomoe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mementomoe/gifts).



Snow drifted down from a slate-grey sky. There weren’t many out on the streets; the hour was growing late, and though King Genaro had revoked the curfew upon resuming full control of the throne, the townspeople were slow to adjust. It had, after all, only been a few weeks since Hildyr had passed, and the years she had spent in power still loomed large in memory. Delora couldn’t really blame them for being nervous. Even she had a hard time believing that this wasn’t just another one of Hildyr’s tricks, for all that the Tenebrarum Crystallum’s lack of bearer made it clear that it wasn’t. 

Delora strode through the streets, her face shaded by the hood of her cloak, her eyes scanning the alleyways as she passed them by. Just the week before, someone had been struck by the Little Match Girl curse and had nearly not been discovered in time, and though she doubted that the same curse would be used again so soon, she couldn’t help but be on alert. 

Eventually, her feet took her to a tavern—the Märchen. She ducked through the doorway, lowering her hood as she looked around. There were a few people there, though not many, and none of them the person she was looking for. One of them, noticing her, raised a flagon in acknowledgement; she nodded back at him, then turned to make her way up the stairs leading to the private rooms.

The door to Parfait’s room had been left open a crack. Placing her palm flat against the wood, Delora pushed it all the way open and stepped inside. At the sound of her footsteps, Parfait turned around, her eyes wide.

“Delora?”

Parfait looked more and more like a ghost each time Delora saw her. The Great War had taken its toll on all of them, but as the bearer of the Lucis Crystallum, Parfait bore more of the burden than most. She’d always been pale, but now she almost seemed translucent, with shadows carving a permanent home beneath her eyes. 

But that wasn’t what caught Delora’s attention now. Though her body might have been fragile, Parfait herself certainly wasn’t—yet, at that moment, she had a starkly vulnerable look on her face that Delora had never seen before. 

Delora stepped forward. “What’s wrong?”

That strange expression vanished, as it had never been. Parfait smiled, gentle and tired. “Please don’t concern yourself. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Nothing to worry about doesn’t mean there’s nothing wrong.” Delora stepped forward, closing the door behind her. “Did something happen?”

“No. And yes.” Parfait seemed to realize that Delora wasn’t going to let the subject drop, for she sighed and said, “I was thinking of Hildyr.”

Ah.

That look she’d seen—that had been grief. 

It made sense, though Delora didn’t like to admit it. Delora couldn’t think about Hildyr without being filled with fury over what Hildyr had done to her, but for Parfait—Hildyr had been her friend, first. And though the woman who had been her friend had been dead in spirit for years now, her now being fully gone still had to be a blow.

Not that someone like Hildyr deserved Parfait’s grief. But that Parfait was the kind of person who could grieve for someone like that was one of the things Delora liked best about her. 

“I’m sorry,” said Parfait. “I know you’re the last person I should be burdening with this.”

“Don’t be.” Without thinking, Delora reached out to take her hand. “You carry enough of my burdens. You don’t have to hide your own from me.”

“Oh, Delora.” Parfait squeezed her fingers. “You truly are one of the kindest people I know.”

Delora snorted, even as her cheeks heated with embarrassment. She didn’t let go of Parfait’s hand, and after a moment, she moved closer, close enough so that she could feel the too-faint warmth of Parfait’s skin.

“...Did you want to talk about it?” 

“I… no.” Parfait shook her head. “No, I think I’ve reminisced enough for one day. Now I’m simply… tired.”

It was obvious that she didn’t simply mean physical exhaustion. Delora drew her arm around her, as though the gesture would be enough to help keep her spirit upright. Normally Parfait shied away from comfort, claiming that others needed it more than she, but this time, she didn’t protest. Instead, with a soft sigh, she leaned her head against Delora’s shoulder.

Her body felt so slight against’s Delora’s. Like all that remained of her was bone and paper-skin. Delora felt her heart swell with emotion, as it so often did around Parfait. 

For the first time, it occurred to her that she knew what this feeling was. 

Parfait allowed her to hold her for the space of a few heartbeats. Then, with another sigh, she lifted her head to meet Delora’s eyes. Delora could read the exhaustion in her gaze, as clear as day, but still Parfait smiled. 

How could one person be so _good_? Before she could think about what she was doing, Delora tilted her head, her eyes falling closed as she brushed her mouth gently against Parfait’s. She heard a soft gasp, and then—

And then, in that moment, it was as though there was no curses, no tragedies, no burdens, no grief—only Parfait, her fingers curling against Delora’s neck as she returned her kiss with equal sweetness and warmth.


End file.
